We Brits get tired of always being airbrushed out of history by Hollywood.
For example there were more British and British Commonwealth (e.g.
Australians, Canadians) troops involved in the D Day landings than US
troops, but you might not have noticed this if you watch 'Saving Private
Ryan' and many other similar movies.

Throughout WW2 we bombed Germany by night without fighter cover, using
bombers such as the Lancaster and the Mosquito, which where less heavily
amoured than a B17, but could carry a much greater weight of bombs as a
result. In fact even the little unarmed twin engined Mosquito bombers made
out of plywood could carry more bombs than a B17. I believe that they
didn't show up very well on radar because of their construction, so they
were probably the original 'stealth bomber'

On entering the European war the USAAF was warned by the RAF that daylight
bombing raids over Germany would be pretty suicidal, as they had already
found out the hard way, but of course the Americans (as usual) thought
they knew best and had better technology. The rest, Schweinfurt etc, is
history!

I have to say however that the US bomber crews who took part in such raids
must have been very brave men, knowing that their tight, straight and level
formations where sitting ducks for German radar predictive flak guns and a
well organised fighter force. It was only towards the end of the war when
the Mustangs shot down many German fighters that the odds became a little
more favourable for them.

Derek Copeland


At 14:14 25 July 2009, brian whatcott wrote:
The Spitfire was a fine air defence fighter - flown by young men who
could fly several sorties over the Home Counties, then head out to the
local pubs in the evening, to party.
The Spitfire could not defend the heavy bombers needed to destroy the
German war production effort. It had no legs.This role was meat and
potatoes for the Mustang, once the American troops learned the need for
flying high cover on those long range missions.
Before I provoke even more hollow patriotism of the kind I already see
too often in the US, I had better mention that I worked at Serck in the
Tyseley (Greet) plant that made the Spitfire heat exchangers, and flew
from Biggin where those boys sortied, and raised a glass in the same
pub, and I was a member of the street picnics held all over the country

to celebrate victory long years after hiding with my Mother under the
kitchen table while being bombed, unlike I suppose, any of the
"patriots" currently responding.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK


Peter Hardman wrote:
I should also be remembered that the Mustang was originally built to
meet a
UK aircraft requirement specification, and was not accepted for that,
as
it
was deemed to be grossly under powered.

It didn't become a succesful aircraft until someone (be they
American
or
British) decided to fit a BRITISH ROLLS ROYCE MERLIN engine. It then
became
the most succesful piston engined fighter of the war.

Cheers
Pete h